


Polyhymnia

by kaminagi



Category: Greek and Roman Mythology
Genre: 3 Sentence Ficathon, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-28
Updated: 2019-01-25
Packaged: 2019-03-12 03:29:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 796
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13538745
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kaminagi/pseuds/kaminagi
Summary: O muse (though it may be brief), sing in me and through me tell of tales untold and songs unsung...Originally forcaramelsilver's 3 sentence ficathon.





	1. "You want to borrow what now?"

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: _[Medea - Euripides, Medea + Helios, "You want to borrow what now?"](http://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/149434.html?thread=4332730#t4332730)_.  
> 

"You recall what happened to Phaeton," Helios says reluctantly, "when he borrowed my chariot."

"He has insulted me and my sons by _discarding_ me as nothing more than a barbarian woman," Medea hisses, "forgetting I too am a royal princess, furthermore the daughter of Aeëtes, a king born of your divine blood and majesty, while Glauce is a mere mortal through and through."

He sees his granddaughter's eyes burn with fury and denies her nothing for her revenge.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, I only read through the summary of the play on wikipedia. I hope this isn't awful.


	2. the color of fire, the color of fury

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: _[Any fandom or original, any characters or pairings, the color of fire, the color of fury](http://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/150194.html?thread=4825010#t4825010)_.

The colour of fire in Lavinia's lustrous hair is unforgettable for all who witness it, the way it does not burn her.

 _It is an omen_ , Latinus declares aloud to his people, _bright fame and glory shall crown my daughter, my only child_.

 _It is an omen_ , Lavinia says grimly to herself as no one will ever hear her speak, _these flames are the colour of fury, a sign of how I will bring my people war because I will not be given so easily_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Inspired more by Ursula K. Le Guin's _Lavinia_ , which is based on _The Aeneid_.


	3. run for your life, my love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: _[greek mythology, atalanta, run for your life, my love](http://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/149434.html?thread=4427962#t4427962)_.

Atalanta scoffs - there is no mortal alive who can beat her in a footrace, so there's no fear of being caught in the trappings of marriage.

But each time she races past him with another golden apple, her heart stirs at the sight of Hippomenes, fear in his eyes and desperation willing his body to keep going with everything he has.

 _Run, run, as fast as you can_ , Atalanta thinks, _and maybe then you will be worthy of my love_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Though honestly, if you have to cheat by dropping shiny objects, then Hippomenes were never worthy to begin with.


	4. never go in against a sicilian when death is on the line

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: _[greek mythology, psyche, never go in against a sicilian when death is on the line](http://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/149434.html?thread=4427706#t4427706)_.

_She wants me to fail,_ Psyche thinks, and suddenly she's not afraid any more - she's _angry_.

It's not impossible to return from the Underworld alive, because five other men have done it before her, with far less at stake, for less noble reasons, after enduring far more trials, and if they can do it, _so can she_.

And she'll come back - because there's no better way to show the goddess what it really means to face death in the eye for the sake of love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I had no idea that this was a reference to _The Princess Bride_ , otherwise this may or may not have turned out funnier.


	5. journey to the underworld

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: _[Any, any, journey to the underworld](http://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/151259.html?thread=5219803#t5219803)_.

Persephone can count on her fingers how many have come to the underworld _alive_ , how many she has set up to fail to return, and this girl latest of the lot, but she is the first woman and the first mortal without a drop of divine blood in her veins that the goddess has even seen make it this far.

Well, she can't make any exceptions, no matter how fond she is of the girl already, never mind the way the girl trembles as she kneels, minding the swell of the growing child within her, as she asks for a bit of the goddess' beauty.

"I commend you on your journey here," Persephone says, returning the box filled with infernal sleep, "and may fortune favour you on your return."


	6. the best thing about being the complete unknown is that she's the favourite in the family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: _[Greek mythology, Hebe, the best thing about being the complete unknown is that she's the favourite in the family](https://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/151620.html?thread=6083652#t6083652)_

A daughter of such a pedigree - the only daughter of the King and Queen of the Gods - to not be given a throne as one of the great Olympians, is puzzling indeed.

But she smiles serenely - Zeus's eyes light up when she appears by his side and he knows this child has no reason to turn against him (industrious and courageous, a fine beauty like her mother) - as secrets and woes spill from his mouth while she pours refreshment into his goblet, listening without rebuke or spite or ambition until all his words are spoken.

Let her brothers be infamous for their imperfections, young Hebe is the golden apple of his eye and he knows he can trust that each of her modest words are worth their weight in nectar and ambrosia.


	7. The wines are both gone now.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: _[Any, any, The wines are both gone now.](https://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/151620.html?thread=6139204#t6139204)_

"I offered you a taste of both wines," he says ( _Euphranor the cavalry officer, Dionysus the god, handsome on some days, dull on others, a shapeshifter_ ), "because I love you, I have for so long."

Pining because he didn't know what to do with himself, Pythias recalls the midwife's words, except throw chaos and disarray where she tried to flutter away and find some reason and discipline ( _there was none_ ), send madness into her house and mark it with unnatural vines.

She stares at the god, at his version of order ( _the strange kindness, insistence on cleanliness and obedience, the irrational lack of passion_ ) that he gives to lure her back, and tells him to be silent as she thinks of how her life is moving into something lesser, empty of both wines.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Actually inspired by _The Sweet Girl_ by Annabel Lyon, a fictional version of Aristotle's daughter [Pythias](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pythias). So, not quite mythology. More [Apollonian/Dionysian philosophy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apollonian_and_Dionysian).


	8. never felt so tired

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the prompt: _[any, any, never felt so tired](https://caramelsilver.livejournal.com/151620.html?thread=6110276#t6110276)_

She remembers when she wove wool dyed every hue of the rainbow and linen cloth and nets, incomparably fresh and cool to touch.

Now her threads are made of the finest silk, shining silver and gold against the light, and her skill brings forth webs that catch raindrops as moon-like pearls.

But each time fragile strands are torn apart, its beauty unappreciated again, she sighs and must start spinning anew, her work without end.


End file.
